1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to lift and/or transfer devices for handicapped individuals, and more particularly such a hoisting device including a transportable support movable along a floor or the ground.
2. Related Art
Clinical experience suggests that wheelchair users often experience painful, problematic and costly secondary complications due to long term sitting. Standing is an effective way to counterbalance many of the negative effects of constant sitting. Standing devices (sometimes referred to as “Standers”) integrated into wheelchair bases enhance the beneficial effects of standing since they allow for more frequent, random and independent performance of standing than in persons who use standing devices outside of a wheelchair base. Integration of a standing device feature into the wheelchair base also enables user standing to enhance functional activities.
A standing feature integrated into a wheelchair base allows the user to obtain a standing position without the need to transfer from the wheelchair. A mechanical or electromechanical system manipulated via levers or the wheelchair's controls moves the seat surface from horizontal into vertical or posteriorly sloping position as it is tilted rearward at the top while maintaining verticality of the leg rests and backrest, thus extending the hip and knee joints. A full vertical standing position (i.e., standing-erect) can be achieved directly from sitting, or through gradual angle changes from a laying position, or a combination of these positions. Most wheelchair standers allow for full or partial extension of the hip and knee joints, and full upright or partially tilted positions. Wheelchair standers are available on manual or power wheelchair bases.
Examples of standing wheelchairs may be found in the SuperStand Standing Wheelchair manufactured by the Standing Company of Saginaw, Mich., and the Levo C3, manufactured by Levo USA of Brooklyn Park, Minn. Wheelchair standers have several shortcomings. As one example, they are not conveniently suited to transfer a user from an ordinary chair or standard wheelchair into a standing position. In another case, wheelchair standers typically arrange the wheels in such a manner that the device does not have inherent stability, and therefore are limited in their ability to transport users over a wide variety of terrain or in tight interior conditions.
The Standing Dani® dynamic stander, manufactured by Davis Made Inc. of Flint, Mich. produces a device that is, in many respects, superior to other dynamic standers on the market. The self-propelled Standing Dani® dynamic stander is designed to be support a user in a standing-prone position, i.e., the user is supported while leaning slightly forward. With this device, the user can easily maneuver indoors and outdoors similar to a wheel chair, and the overall architecture of the device provides inherent stability thus overcoming many of the deficiencies of competing wheelchair standers. The self-propelled Standing Dani® is powered by an electrical drive unit that allows a user to cover long distances quickly and easily. The motors are concealed within the wheel hubs.
User transfer between sitting and standing positions, and/or from a bed to a chair or the like, is a significant source of injury to health care workers. The act of manually lifting a user exposes a health care worker to serious strain on the back and shoulder. Transfer devices have thus been developed to assist in the lifting and transfer function of handicapped users. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,287 to Phillips, issued Sep. 19, 2000, discloses a lift and transfer apparatus for a disabled person. Pivoting lift arms rotate to lift a user by the forearms from a seated or laying position into a standing position onto a rotating platform. A flat foot platform is fixed in position for the user to stand upon during the transport procedure. The lift arm does not offer the user posture control functionality when in the raised position.
Related U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,921,485, 7,921,486 and 8,122,534 to Biersteker et al. disclose user lifts believed to be sold commercially as the Hoyer Elevate, Hoyer Journey and Hoyer Ascend products. The lift device includes a lift arm attached to the upper end of a support tower through a simple pivot. A knee pad is attached to the tower. An actuator moves the lift arm between lowered and raised positions. A fixed foot platform may be selectively repositioned to a non-use position to facilitate gate training. The foot platform does not raise or change its angle in concert with movement of the lift arm. Further, the lift arm does not offer the user posture control functionality when in the raised position.
Despite these many sincere attempts to provide functional, convenient standing mobility and/or transfer devices for handicapped people, there remains a need to provide even more effective, more convenient features in a dynamic stander type device to reliably transfer a user from an ordinary chair or standard wheelchair into a standing-prone position coupled, optionally, with mobility functionality.